1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to laundering and in particular to laundering of linens and garments soiled by bed ridden persons such as those confined to nursing homes unable to tend for themselves.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bed ridden patients such as those confined to nursing homes or extended care facilities unable to control their bodily functions or use toilet facilities need their bed linens and garments laundered by workers of the facility. To launder the linens and prevent the spread of disease from intimate contact with the human waste workers by government regulation are required to wear protective equipment while rinsing or laundering these items. (Reference is directed to Federal Register/Vol. 56, No. 235/Friday Dec. 6, 1991/Rules and Regulations, Exposure Control Plan.) Normally, this operation is performed while bending over a toilet or hopper. This equipment includes gowns, hand and foot coverings, face shields, head covering, etc. which in turn need laundering or disposal if the equipment is single-use. In addition, regulations also require the disinfecting of the area once the laundering is completed. Wooten U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,700 addresses excrement created by animal kept as pets in the home through a toilet. Hancock, et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,882,708 and Russey U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,640 address the laundering of infant diapers using a toilet to dispose of infant excrement. Dickstein U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,076 cleans and flushes out ileostomy bags.
Due to the increased awareness of the spread of disease such as hepatitis and HIV virus, by blood-borne pathogens found in human waste and body fluids the need exists for a device that protects the healthcare worker from intimate contact with the waste, a means to reduce the contaminated waste created from protective equipment, and make the chore of rinsing soiled linens and garments less taxing on the healthcare worker since they are bending over a toilet or hopper to perform their duties.
Whatever the merits and advantages of the above sited references none of them has fulfilled the purposes of protecting the operator from intimate contact with the waste or provide the operator a comfortable position while performing their duties.
The principle object of the present invention is to provide a device for use in rinsing and laundering soiled bed linens and garments and disposing of the excrement contained in the soiled linens and garments.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide protection to the operator or healthcare worker from coming into intimate contact with the human waste and body fluids while rinsing and laundering the soiled linens and garments.
Another object is to provide such a device that is easily adaptable to common fixtures such as toilets and hoppers, available at institutions where this type of activity occurs (i.e. nursing homes, extended care facilities, etc.) and provide the operator or healthcare worker a comfortable height for safe and effective performance of their duties.
A further object is to reduce the spread of disease to the healthcare worker or operator from contact with blood-borne pathogens found in human waste and body fluids by containing the rinsing and laundering operation within a confined environment so the waste removed can be flushed into and out through the sewage system without intimate contact. The confined environment also will provide for less contaminated waste due to less protective equipment required by the operator.
An additional object of this invention is to prevent inadvertent loss of linens and garments into the sewage system along with the subsequent stoppage normally caused by items not intended to be flushed into the system.
The objects mentioned above can be accomplished by providing a self-contained, watertight laundering device adaptable to a toilet or hopper with an externally controlled water supply and access to the internal structure by so called xe2x80x9cdry boxxe2x80x9d gloves. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the self-contained, watertight container is formed by a plurality of clear, flat, waterproof sides with the pyramidal style sides forming a rectangular opening at the bottom which is surrounded by an adapting flange for positioning the device on the toilet or hopper. A hinged door with waterproof seal and an internal shelf in the upper portion of the device provides access and a staging area for the soiled linens and garments to perform the laundering operation and prevent the loss of the linens and garment into the toilet. Another door with a waterproof seal placed in the bottom portion of the device provides access for cleaning the device at prescribed intervals established by facility protocol. The upper portion of another side and at a height for operator comfort contains at least two so called xe2x80x9cdry boxxe2x80x9d gloves for the operator to access the soiled linens internal to the device and manipulate them during the laundering process and maintaining a barrier between the worker and the laundering operation. The xe2x80x9cdry boxxe2x80x9d gloves are waterproof and form a seal with openings in the upper portion of the side. External to the device, tubing is plumbed from existing facility plumbing to provide a source of water to a water mixing valve and detergent dispenser, both controllable by the operator. The tubing continues through a hole in one side of the device terminating internally at a flexible and operator manipulated spraying head above the location of the internal shelf in the upper portion of the device. The operator can place the soiled linens on the internal shelf and close the upper door which forms a waterproof seal with the side of the device. The operator then places their hands into the xe2x80x9cdry boxxe2x80x9d gloves grasping the flexible spraying head with one hand and the soiled linens with the other activates the water mixing valve and detergent dispenser. This begins the process of rinsing and laundering the linens. The waste washed from the linens is allowed to fall through the holes in the shelf and out the bottom of the device to the toilet or hopper below. The waste is then flushed and disposed of into the sewage system. Since the device is self-contained and waterproof very little protective equipment is needed for protection of the operator. Cleaning and disinfecting the device is accomplished by washing the interior using the flexible spraying head and accessing the lower portion through the sealed door.